Welcome back to the African Roots Podcast!
You can always reach me at AfricanRootsPodcast@gmail.com

I hope you have all had a great week, and a productive one! This past week we commemorated the tragedy of September 11th. I hope you were able to pause and reflect and think about things that occurred on that day, and give thoughts for the future.

Yesterday there was a symposium going on all day long at the Smithsonian, on genealogy, DNA, and African American history. Last night there was also a big event and a DNA reveal with Dr. Lonnie Bunch, and journalist Gwen Ifil.

Genealogys news is unfolding–the Family Search-Ancestry collaboration was last week’s news. And

Last night’s Bernice Bennett show was excellent last night with Professor Robert Davis who spoke about his book and and research about those who were imprisoned at Andersonville Prison during the Civil War. He shared a lot of insights about things that occurred both inside & outside of the prison camp itself. I appreciate that he also shared information about the slaves who were impressed to work at the camp as well. And did you know that there was later a Freedman’s school at the Andersonville Prison camp after the War? That would be a wonderful task to find information about the school. It was a most informative show. Her show airs every Thursday evening at 9pm on Blog Talk Radio

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Coming up later this month an interesting event in Virginia at both Hampton University and Norfolk State University. The Second conference, “1619 Making of America” Conference will be held on Thursday Sept. 26th and Friday, 27th 2013. This year the event will be held at 2 locations. On Thursday, September 26th it will be at the Hampton Viriginia Convention Center and on Friday at Norfolk State University. The cost is $75.00 for both days, or $40.00 for 1 day. This is the link to the conference schedule, speakers and registration form. The speaker line up is amazing and one that for sure will an informative program. Persons in the Tidewater area will find this to be a good event to attend.

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Some interesting news about a project from Louisiana–a new museum has been proposed. This will be a site devoted for the Riverfront area. I am referring to the National Slave Ship Museum. This will be built around a replica of a slave ship. Many of us are familiar with the Slave ship data such as that captured by Dr. Gwendolyn Midlo Hall and her work with the slave ship manifests, and more. New Orleans as we we know was a major port of entry. They will also have an onsite DNA lab in addition to other exhibits at the Museum.

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Yesterday a funeral took place in Connecticut. This man died 200 years ago and his remains were used for scientific study and later in display in a museum for over 3 decades. It was finally decided to lay him to rest. His body was placed in a coffin, he was lying in state at the State Capitol. His service took place in the very church where he attended during his lifetime. Take a look at the story. There is a lesson here—and I am happy that humanity was restored to the man, Mr. Fortune.

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Two hundred years ago this week the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Lake Eirie. There were apparently 600 men of color who were in that battle. Only about 10-12 men of color have been identified. Well a project called Hidden Heroes, has been created to identify these individuals. Additional researchers, and societies are invited to participate in this project. This project is expected to correct or to write another chapter in American history by identifying these 600 plus men of color who served in this battle.

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Them Central VA African American genealogy society will host Alice Cannon who will discuss the history of Bleak House planatation. This will be in Charlottesville at the LDS Chapel

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A Family Project is looking at the history of the Foxbank Plantation, located in South Carolina. This was covered in one of the Charleston newspapers. The Lynes family is the group leading this effort to preserve what remains and to explore the history. The website is called the Foxbank Project. The site looks at the lifestyle, and objects that have been found from the site also. The websit looks interesting, and is worth exploring to learn more about the family’s preservation efforts.

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I mentioned the effort to document the black soldiers who found in the Battle of Lake Erie. Well, I also want to bring to your attention, the Center of Black Genealogy. This is the group behind the project. The center is a non-profit organization that is devoted to advancing, “the scholarship of African American genealogy and promote genealogy research and preservation throughout the African Diaspora.” Well that is quite impressive. It is spearheaded by Tony Burroughs, FUGA, who has an international reputation, and who has already put Black Genealogy on the map in many arenas. His board of directors look impressive, and their initial project looks like a sound one, with the Hidden Heroes project. This is an organization to watch, and it promises to be one from which new data will emerge.

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Well thanks for tuning in this week and taking time out of your schedule to listen. You are appreciated and your work is also appreciated. In the meantime, as you continue the pursuit of your own stories, keep researching, keep documenting and always, keep sharing what you find.

Meta

About Me

Author of "Black Indian Genealogy Research", Member of AAHGS -Afro-American Historical & Gennealogical Society, Founding member of AfriGeneas, Faculty for Samford IGHR, and MAAGI -Midwest African American Genealogy Institute, PAAC-Preservation of African American Cemeteries